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Written by Larry Roeder, Editor
A fugitive, wanted for violations of a court order, managed to elude police for nearly two and a half hours on Sunday afternoon after he was spotted near the grounds of the Upper Perkiomen Middle School in East Greenville.
Jonathan Christy, 19, of Blaker Drive in East Greenville, was arrested in early August and charged with statutory sexual assault, indecent assault, aggravated indecent assault, corruption of a minor and other charges.
The charges stemmed from Christy being allegedly involved in a sexual relationship with an East Greenville girl from Dec. 7, 2008 until June 2009. Christy was 18 years old at the time and the girl was 13 years old.
According to court documents, Christy and the girl met during the summer of 2008 when the girl was 12. Police testified the girl said she and Christy became boyfriend and girlfriend that December. Christy and the girl reportedly had sex approximately 15 times at the girl’s house, according to her statements, during the course of their relationship. The girl reportedly ended the relationship in June 2009. According to court documents, he was released on bail Aug. 5.
A warrant was issued for Christy’s arrest on Aug. 27 after he allegedly violated the court order not to have contact with the girl.
While on routine patrol on Sunday afternoon, Upper Perk Police Cpl. Joe Adam spotted Christy on Jefferson Street in East Greenville. When the Upper Perk officer attempted to approach him, Christy fled on foot across the middle school’s athletic fields and southbound on the railroad tracks of the East Penn Railway.
Adam initiated a search that included Det. Sgt. Bob Seville of the Upper Perk Police District and police units from Marlborough and Douglass townships and the Pennsylvania State Police.
Around 3 p.m. Christy was seen by Det. Sgt. Seville on Taggart Road in Upper Hanover Township. Christy ran into a heavily wooded area nearby and police set up a second search using a police perimeter set up around Taggart, Wasser and Quakertown roads in the township.
At 3:34 p.m. Christy was spotted by Lower Salford Police Officer Jason Alderfer, who responded for the second search, diving into the bushes near the U.S.A. Tape Co. on Quakertown Road. As Alderfer approached the fugitive, Christy reportedly tried to hide in the high grass. The alert officer apprehended Christy and held him there until Trooper Steve Dunkel, state police, took him into custody.
According to police reports, Christy was taken to the state police barracks at Skipp-ack where he was arraigned, by video, in front of District Justice Walter Gadzicki.
In addition to the harassment and violation of the PFA charges, Christy was charged with resisting arrest, escape, fleeing from police and trespassing. He was committed to the Montgomery County Correction Facility in lieu of $15,000 cash bail.
Written by Kelly Chandler, Staff Writer
Marlborough Township Police have arrested a 20-year-old township man for allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl and sexually assaulting another at his home and at a Green Lane residence.
Authorities said Joseph “Jay” Dehaven III, 20, of the 4000 block of Upper Ridge Road, was charged with raping a 17-year-old Hereford girl at his home July 16.
According to court documents, Dehaven asked the girl to come to his house to go swimming with him and several of her friends. At his home, he reportedly started making sexual advances towards her, which she tried to avoid. Police said Dehaven physically assaulted the girl and then raped her.
Police testified that Dehaven then told the girl to get into the pool while he stayed inside the house. She refused and, after Dehaven reportedly tried to kiss her again multiple times, she was taken home from the property.
Dehaven was interviewed on July 26 by Marlborough Township Police and a Montgomery County Detective and told police that he knew the girl but on the day in question he took her to the Sonic restaurant in Quakertown and then straight home. He told police the girl was never in his home.
When asked about his whereabouts on the day of the alleged assault, Dehaven told authorities his parents were away camping and he went straight to a friend’s home after leaving work.
On July 27, investigating officer Darren Morgan of Marlborough Township Police got a detailed diagram of the interior and exterior of Dehaven’s home provided by the alleged victim.
On July 28, a second alleged victim emerged. Marlborough Township Police Chief Ray Fluck said a 17-year-old Green Lane girl said that she and Dehaven dated on and off for about two years. In Sept. 2009, the last time they dated, Dehaven reportedly came to her home and he forced her into the vehicle he was driving. He physically assaulted her and made her perform oral sex on him, police said. He reportedly refused to allow the girl out of the car.
After they broke up, Dehaven allegedly made repeated harassing phone calls to the victim and also harassed her fiancé.
A search warrant was executed at the Dehaven home Aug. 20 where police reportedly removed a section of carpet and carpet padding along with suspected evidence of a sexual assault.
Dehaven was taken into custody the same day and was charged with one count of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault without consent, indecent assault by force, simple assault, unlawful restraint, harassment, disorderly conduct, false imprisonment, luring a child into a motor vehicle and corruption of minors.
He was also charged with involuntary deviate sexual assault, indecent assault without consent, indecent assault by force, unlawful restraint, harassment, disorderly conduct, false imprisonment and corruption of minors for the second case.
He was arraigned by District Justice Catherine Hummel-Fried of Red Hill District Court and bail was set at $100,000 secured. Dehaven was remanded to Montgomery County Correctional Facility.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 7 at 11:45 a.m. in Red Hill.
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